Top 10 incredible tactical innovations that revolutionised football

#7 The WM formation (Arsenal)

Herbert Chapman(M) introduced the WM formation

Back in the 1920s, a majority of teams used the 2-3-5 system, putting great emphasis on attack and minimal on defence. However, two tweaks in this system due to the newly created offside law saw a new formation known as 'WM' come to existence.

In the earlier ages, in order to be exempted from the rule, an attacker was required to have at least three players between himself and the opposition goal (1 goalkeeper and 2 defenders). However, a change in the law meant that only two players were allowed between the attacker and the opposition goal (1 goalkeeper and 1 defender) - that is precisely the rule we follow today.

Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman noticed that the use of offside rule became more difficult and risky to use, with just two at the back. Hence, he shifted his centre-half and dropped him deeper, forming a 3-man defence.

However, with only two men in midfield, this left a creative void in the centre of the park. To tackle this problem, Chapman shifted the two inside forwards in his five-man attack into the midfield, adding more creativity in the middle. The system looked like a 3-2-2-3 and resembled the two letters W and M.

Using this system against teams that played the 2-3-5 formation, it was easier for Chapman's Arsenal to take mark the opposition forward line with the help of their forwards and attacking midfielders. Also, it gave them an added advantage of transitioning from defence to attack in the split of an eye, as they had a greater number of players in the midfield in contrast to their opposition. That is precisely how the concept of 'counter-attack' as a deliberate attacking ploy also came into existence.

Arsenal won a two First Division titles and an FA Cup title under the tutelage of Chapman and his WM formation.